Take a Chance on Me
by PhantomChajo
Summary: Having been deeply hurt in the past, Phantom is afraid of a relationship yet loves SteelWill. Will loves her back and is offering her all the time she needs to heal. Inspired by ABBA's Take a Chance on me Setting: Dee & Chara's Cosmos, Rated for Lang


Take a Chance on Me  
By PhantomChajo  
  
  
If you change your mind, I'm the first in line   
Honey I'm still free  
Take a chance on me  
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around  
If you got no place to go when you're feeling down  
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown  
Honey I'm still free  
Take a chance on me  
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie  
If you put me to the test, if you let me try  
  
Take a chance on me  
(That's all I ask of you honey)  
Take a chance on me  
  
We can go dancing, we can go walking, as long as we're together  
Listen to some music, maybe just talking, get to know you better  
'Cause you know I've got  
So much that I wanna do, when I dream I'm alone with you It's magic  
You want me to leave it there, afraid of a love affair  
But I think you know  
That I can't let go  
  
If you change your mind, I'm the first in line  
Honey I'm still free  
Take a chance on me  
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around  
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down  
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown  
Honey I'm still free  
Take a chance on me  
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie  
If you put me to the test, if you let me try  
  
Take a chance on me  
(Come on, give me a break will you)  
Take a chance on me  
Oh you can take your time baby, I'm in no hurry, know I'm gonna get you  
You don't wanna hurt me, baby don't worry, I ain't gonna let you  
Let me tell you now  
My love is strong enough to last when things are rough It's magic  
You say that I waste my time but I can't get you off my mind  
No I can't let go  
'Cos I love you so  
  
If you change your mind, I'm the first in line  
Honey I'm still free  
Take a chance on me  
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around  
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down  
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown  
Honey I'm still free  
Take a chance on me  
Gonna do my very best, baby can't you see  
Gotta put me to the test, take a chance on me  
(Take a chance, take a chance, take a chance on me)  
  
Honey I'm still free  
Take a chance on me  
Gonna do my very best, baby can't you see  
Gotta put me to the test, take a chance on me  
(Take a chance, take a chance, take a chance on me)  
  
Honey I'm still free  
Take a chance on me  
  
"Take a Chance on Me"  
by ABBA  
  
  
  
  
She had chosen to stay here in Limbo instead of returning to New Eden, much to several people's disappointment. But they understood. A few more years won't hurt things at Huntington. Besides, it was under Crown Authority still.  
  
The day started out like normal. The usual runs for this day of the week in Limbo. Nothing much going on. Some deliveries to Hawk Haven, mail from the looks of things. Which was strange since as far as she knew few had relatives left alive. Well she knew Emily and Will didn't, the others she didn't much associate with except for Mikel. Or more to the point, Detia, his wife. There was also a few personal request. Music for James, electronic and small miscellaneous parts for the twins to play around with. Some new book, magazines and vids for the rec room. The Bedlama Star for Commander Stargazer. Romance novels for Chatterbox.  
  
"Not that it matters either way" She muttered to herself as she loaded the HummingBird.   
  
The flight was pleasant enough and she had a chance to listen to the newly re-released Enigma collection.  
  
When she arrived, the Maraj was just getting read to leave on patrol. She waved, giving a grin and a thumbs up to the group. She felt Emily's presence amongst the group and chuckled, letting the image of the two of them leaving for a hunt come to mind. In reply she got a ghostly chuckle of enjoyment at the memory. Shaking her head she climbed out of the HummingBird. Though she could have sworn she felt a couple of echoes though the link. One was of curiosity, the other of amusement.  
  
"I'll ask latter" she said to herself as she pulled off her jacket and tossed it into the HummingBird.  
  
She walked over to the com panel and taped it. "Hey Commander, if you got someone spare hanging around, I could use a hand getting this stuff up from the hanger."  
  
A moment later Stargazer replied back. "I'll send Will down. He's got nothing to do at the moment."  
  
"Thanks" ugh, great she thought to herself. Will Hart was not the person she needed to see right now. Especially with what she was dealing with from Emily currently. Damn dreams. I have got to talk to Em when I get the chance. She rubbed her forehead and sighed as she crossed back over to the ship and started to unload it.  
  
  
  
Up in the rec room, Will was watching one of the old vids that had arrived a few months back. He had already seen it several times by now and could recite it line for line almost. Slayer-Hawk? Where do they come up with these names? He thought to himself. Then the image of Emily in an outfit that looked straight from the history books, riding a horse and Zan dressed similarly, also riding a horse came to him over the link he shared with her. He sent back a wordless question of curiosity as to what it was about but got no answer. He also got a echo of amusement that did not come from her. I'll ask later he thought. And while I'm at it, I need to tell her she really needs to shield better. I do not want to know what she is doing. He had been forced to shield his side of the link several times already just to get some peace and quiet.  
  
Like his sister, he had taken to relaxing out of armor. The first time he had de-armored he had been shocked at how long his hair was. When he had looked in the mirror, he saw a person he almost didn't recognize staring back at him. His beard had reached about the middle of his chest and his hair was just as long in the back. The image of some biker handing out in a seedy bar somewhere came to mind. Emily had gotten a laugh out of that. Needless to say it got cut very fast. He didn't mind the teasing she had given him about it, but looking like a biker just was not his style. Even if he did look the part sometimes.  
  
The squeal from the speaker mounted on the wall caused him to wince. Need to fix that one of these days. "...blasted thing... Will, get down to the hanger and give Phantom a hand bringing the deliveries up." Then it died out with another squeal and a sputter.  
  
He turned off the vid, tossing the remote onto the table. With a grunt he stood. "Yes commander" he muttered. "if it wasn't for the promise we made I would swear she trying to set me up." Phantom was the last person he wanted to see at the moment. Too many disturbing dreams of late. Not all of them were on the nightmarish side either!  
  
He headed to the lift and down to the hanger.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile out in Limbo, the Maraj soars majestically though space on patrol. A private conversation was taking place between two of the five people.  
  
::Lyore, are you sure this will work? You know I made a promise with little brother to stay out of his love life::  
  
::Yes Emmy, it should work. And I know you made the promise, but I never made it::  
  
::That's cheating!::  
  
::No it's not. All is fair in love and war. And you my love are at war because those two love each other but won't admit to it::  
  
::*Sigh* your right but I still feel bad about setting them up like this. What if something goes wrong?::  
  
::Stop worrying about it. Will is an honorable man and will not do anything to compromise Zan's honor in anyway. You know that, I know that and He knows that. We just have to convince Zan of that.::  
  
::That is going to be the battle right there. She's got so many walls up in that mind of hers when it comes to anything involving....::  
  
::Then we will just have to provide the means to tear those walls down::  
  
::And that means keeping everyone out of their way. God help anyone teasing Will about it. He's got a temper worse then a angry bear. And the muscle to back up his anger::  
  
::That he does. This patrol won't last more then a couple of hours. Shall we provide the means to extend the patrol a little longer then normal?::  
  
::Just don't get caught Lyore! I don't want you to get in trouble for something I'm trying to do.::  
  
::Don't worry, Sapphire and Sundance are the only two that would know and both are busy elsewhere *chuckles*::  
  
  
  
Back at Hawk Haven things are going smoothly at the moment. The electronics and parts were left in the workshop area, the books, vids and magazines were left in the rec room. Everything else was taken up to the Commanders office.  
  
"That's the last of it. You know the routine. Sign away" Zan said leaning over the desk to hand Stargazer the clipboard.  
  
"Don't know why I have to sign for this stuff." He grumbled.  
  
Will hide his smile of amusement.  
  
"Because you're the one that is easiest to locate when I bring this stuff up and everyone has to report to you. That's why." Phantom replied as she took back the board and looked it over. "Any request or outbound parcels this time?"  
  
"No. If there is no one's brought them to me. Their loss then." He chuckled. "What about you Sergeant? You got anything to go out?" turning to look at Will.  
  
"Eh? No sir." He replied.  
  
"Good. Then I'm done here, and done for the day." Phantom said as she turned towards the door. "Catch you next trip."  
  
"Hmm? Eh, Next time" the Commander had already picked up the Bedlama Star and was flipping though the pages. As he did he leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the corner of his desk.  
  
Will took this as a dismissal and left with Phantom. He planned on going back down to the rec room and see what was brought up for them this time.  
  
They passed though the Command Center on the way to the lift. Each quietly contemplating their own private thoughts. Entering the Lift she punched the hanger level and he hit the level that the rec room was on. The doors closed and they started to descend.  
  
The Commander leaned back further, uncrossing then re-crossing his feet. As he did he bumped a few odds and ends that were on his desk causing one to slide farther along and hit the overrides for the lift. A second tumbled over scattering some loose scraps over the desk. "I'll get them later" he mumbled and went back to reading. Unaware of what was going on.  
  
  
  
The lift came to a sudden stop, jarring it's occupants.  
  
"Bloody Hell!" Phantom muttered pushing herself away from the wall in which she had collided with.  
  
Will was also picking himself back up. "Great. Something else to add to the list of things that need to be repaired." Rubbing his hand though his hair as he looked at the panel. Frowning somewhat he took a closer look.  
  
The controls were dead. Or more precisely, locked out. They had no way to call for help and there was no way he could re-wire the controls from inside the lift. After the numerous attempts by the Mob over the years to get into Hawk Haven and cause havoc and destruction, security measures had been tightened. Looks like it had just backfired on them.  
  
"Hope you don't have any plans for a while."  
  
"Why?" she was frowning, her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"We're stuck till someone notices."  
  
"What do you mean 'Stuck till someone notices'??"  
  
"Just that. The lift Override must have been hit by someone. No way to get it going till someone realizes that it was activated." Will replied looking over his shoulder at her.  
  
"Oh. Just Bloody Great! There goes My day."  
  
He was hard pressed not to make a reply. He just frowned slightly at her then moved back to the back of the lift and lean against the wall. Good thing I don't have plans either he thought to himself, though I don't mind being stuck with her.  
  
With that she started to pace back and forth in the small space of the lift.  
  
After about ten minutes he sighed softly to himself. Then again......  
  
Fate decided to rear it's head and take matters between these two in hand. With a little help from a certain Magician and his Lady Love.  
  
  
During the next hour little was said, though the choice of words Phantom had was quite interesting. Though Will knew that many of the actions she described was anatomically impossible. An couple of times he even started to laugh, earning some nasty glares from Phantom in the process.  
  
All though this he could feel her anxiety build, right along with several other emotions, one of which was fear. It also was causing a headache to build in his temples.  
  
It was one of the things he kept quiet about. Everyone knew he had a link with his sister, but no one other then Emily knew he was an empath like her. Just not as strong.  
  
He could sense the spike of panic when he shifted or moved about so he stayed still as much as possible, though he wanted to pace like Phantom was doing.  
  
Time drug on, sliding into hour number two.  
  
  
As much as she liked Will, being stuck in the lift, here at Hawk Haven, with him was not enjoyable. It wasn't that she was bothered by small enclosed spaces, it was that she was stuck in such a place, alone, with a man. It didn't matter who that man was just the fact it was a man. She paced back and forth in the small space as much as she could, throwing a nasty glare at the control panel ever so often.  
  
Will on the other hand was taking things in stride. Granted it was annoying that something had either broken down or gotten messed up to cause the lift to stop working, but it was nothing that he couldn't handle. What was getting to him was her pacing. She was like a trapped wild animal, constantly moving.  
  
"Phantom, would you please stop pacing?" Will asked from where he was leaning against the lift wall. "It's not going to accomplish anything more then to wear a hole in the floor. We're not going to be gotten out of here any faster." He was normally an even tempered person, but even he had his limits. And he was fast approaching those limits.  
  
She just gave him a look, not saying a word and continued pacing. If she had, had her jacket on, it would have been pulled tightly closed. But she had left it, in the HummingBird when she came up to deliver the mail and personal request to the Commander.  
  
"How long till someone notices that we're stuck? I doubt the commander would notice. He never leaves that office of his. Em, Bluegrass, and the others are out on patrol and everyone else is busy elsewhere." She snapped.  
  
"It will only be an hour or two at the most before someone notices. Relax." He said back smoothly, use to dealing with his sister's temper. Leaning his head back against the wall he kept the sigh from escaping him. He had to fight the temptation of banging his head on the wall in frustration.  
  
  
  
The third hour had passed and still no one noticed. Will had slide down the wall to sit. Every now and then he would reach up and run a hand though his hair.  
  
As for Phantom, she still paced, but not as much. Sometimes stopping for several minutes to stare off into nothing, her fingers braiding and unbraiding small strands of her hair. She had taken the hair tie out of it earlier and already shredded it in her nervous movements.  
  
  
  
Hour number four had passed and it was fast approaching number five, and still they were stuck. Will had apparently slipped into a light doze and Phantom still paced.  
  
The sound of flesh hitting metal and several curses woke him. In an instant and he was on his feet, alert for the trouble. He did sigh this time as he watched her slam her fist into the panel again.  
  
"Damn it you thrice blasted piece of junk!"  
  
Not saying a word he took the few steps needed and grabbed her wrist before she could hit it again. He felt her tense up then try and pull her arm away from him. "That is not going to do anything more then damage your hand."  
  
She whirled on him, her open palm of her other hand coming up to slap.  
  
He was quicker and grabbed her other wrist to keep her from hitting him. "Calm down."  
  
She tried to pull away, gritting her teeth as she did. He was a lot stronger then her and she knew she would not be able to get away.  
  
"I said, Calm Down." Tightening his grips just slightly. He then let her go and waited to see what happened.  
  
She backed away from him then moved to put as much distance as the small space allowed between them. With her back to him she wrapped her arms about herself and tried to still the shiver.  
  
Silently he moved behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders lightly. "I won't hurt you. You know that. Besides, Sis would have my hide if I did." He felt her hunch her shoulders, muscles tightening. Ever so gently he started to massage her shoulders. Threading his fingers up under her hair, his thumbs worked in small circles at the nape of her neck.  
  
She tried so hard to deny that what he was doing felt good. But bit by bit, she un-tensed. She felt him slide his hands across her shoulders and down her arms. Her flesh pricked with goose bumps at the skin to skin contact. Her breath caught for just a moment as his thumbs brushed unintentionally across her breast. The walls she had so carefully built over the years started to crack with that one chance contact.  
  
Feeling her relax, he slowly pulled her against him. He rested his chin on the top of her head, holding her close, yet loosely so that she could pull away.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, yet so brief a moment, he let her go, turning her so that she faced him. Placing his hands on her shoulders he leaned down so that their foreheads touched. She had turned her head slightly so that she looked down and away, her eyes closed.  
  
"Zan? Look at me, please" He said softly.  
  
When she didn't respond, he lifted one hand and placed his it under her chin, lifting her face so that she could look him in the eye. Gently brushing his thumb across her cheek. When she did finally open them, what he saw took his breath away. There was fear, desire and vulnerability in those blue-gray eyes of hers.  
  
"I won't hurt you, I promise."  
  
She searched his face then letting her eyes make contact with his cloudy gray ones. She saw a loving warmth, brutal honesty, and a willingness to give her as much time as she needed.  
  
By unspoken mutual consent, they started to lean towards one another for a kiss, when the lift jerked to life. He had to reach out to brace his hands on the wall to keep from falling. He saw those walls of hers slam shut in that instant as she moved away. She was at the door waiting for it to open, her back was to him so she didn't see the expression of disappointment and defeat.  
  
As soon as the lift stopped and the doors opened to the hanger she shoved past the pair that was about to step in.  
  
"What the?"  
  
"Hey! Watch It!"  
  
They turned to watch her as she scrambled into the HummingBird. As soon as it was brought to life she was gone. The two looked at each other then shrugged and turned to get on the lift and stopped dead in their tracks.  
  
Will stood there with the most unreadable expression they have ever seen on his face. But for the barest of instances they could have sworn they saw anger there. Anger aimed at them.  
  
"Bluegrass, Quicksilver." He just nodded to each and pressed the button to head upstairs. The doors shut in their faces.  
  
"Was what I think just happening or was it my imagination?" asked Bluegrass, a sly smile forming.  
  
"I believe so Cowboy. I believe so" Quicksilver agreed.  
  
Sudden from behind came an icy cold voice. "Gentlemen. I advise you not to say a single word about what happened."  
  
This time as they turned they saw SteelHeart. Her arms were crossed over her chest, eyes narrowed dangerously. Behind her stood Hotwing who had a serious expression on his face.  
  
As the lift doors opened again, they wisely parted to allow the pair to enter it. Once more the doors closed in their face and they were still in the hanger. They wisely said not a single word about what had happened for they both knew how dangerous it was to cross Emily Hart when she was in that mood.  
  
  
Hotwing wrapped his arms about her waist, hugging her.  
  
"We were so close." She said with a sigh, returning the embrace.  
  
"Do you think he suspects anything?"  
  
"I don't know. He's so angry right now. If he hadn't reigned in his temper those two would be in the infirmary and he'd be confined to his quarters, if not in the brig."  
  
"That bad?" he winced.  
  
"That bad." She said. "I had better go speak with him. Maybe I can calm him down."  
  
"Alright love. I'll catch up to you later." With that he placed a kiss on her forehead and let her get off on the personal quarters level.  
  
Both had seen the slight dent in the lift wall.  
  
  
  
Will retreated to his quarters, seething with frustration and anger. He was so close to bringing those walls of hers down. So close to setting her, and him, free. He didn't bother turning on the lights as he entered. He just went to the bed and sat down, dropping his head in his hands.  
  
Several minutes later he felt his sisters presence beyond his closed door. Though their link he let her know she could enter.  
  
"Damn it Em, I was so close. I saw those walls of hers start to crack and crumble. Then as soon as the lift started to move they were back in place. What am I doing wrong?" he never lifted his head as he spoke, just buried his fingers deeper into his hair at his temples.  
  
"You did nothing wrong." She said sitting down next to him on the bed. "She just needs time. Time and a lot of understanding." Slipping her arm about his shoulders. She could tell he was frustrated, angry and disappointed.  
  
"Em?"  
  
"Yeah Will?"  
  
"Next time you and Leo get together, do me a favor."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Make sure you shield. I do not want to know what is going on."  
  
Emily's jaw just about dropped and she turned a deep shade of scarlet in embarrassment. "oh my god...... Will, I'm Sooo sorry." Pulling away to hide her face as she stood up.  
  
He just chuckled, his mood improving some what at the teasing he was giving her "If anyone ask, tell them I turned in early."  
  
"I will."  
  
"Thanks." Standing also. "for both." He gave her a hug.  
  
She smiled, still blushing, returning the hug. Then left.  
  
He sat back down then stretched out, tucking his hands behind his head. It wasn't that long before he was asleep. 


End file.
